


To Be

by dreamwriteremmy (ehryniewi)



Series: The Common House Tales [55]
Category: Harvest Moon, Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, No Fandom, Original Work, Portal (Video Game), Welcome to Night Vale, 悪魔城ドラキュラ Castlevania | Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, 悪魔城ドラキュラ | Castlevania Series
Genre: Carlos is a Good Boyfriend, Cecil is Inhuman, Cultural Differences, Eldritch Abomination Cecil, F/M, Fibro Cecil, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Magic, Mpreg, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-21
Updated: 2015-01-21
Packaged: 2018-03-08 13:20:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3210593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ehryniewi/pseuds/dreamwriteremmy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Unexpected Surprises at the Common House take 2.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Be

Cecil's arms are wrapped around his stomach as he comes out of the bathroom. Carlos frowns, "Are you okay?"

Cecil shakes his head, curling up on the couch. "No. I think something didn't agree with me."

"You've been saying that for days, Cecil. And it's usually whenever we aren't eating vegetarian. And your blood sugar tested low yesterday. I think this might be something more serious. Let's go see Ray."

Cecil shakes his head. Carlos frowns. "Then she's coming up here."

Cecil shakes his head again. Carlos frowns. "You might not want to, but you have to have her see, Cecil. I'm worried. I'm calling her."

Carlos picks up his wizpod. "Urgent message for Ray. Cecil's worrying me. Can you please come by our apartment? Thanks."

Ray calls back immediately, "What's wrong, Carlos?"

"Cecil's still sick. I want you to check him over. I'm not sure if this is a Lyme flare or another health concern, but I'm worried. He doesn't want to leave the apartment and he doesn't want to see you but I think he might just be worried too. I can't figure it out."

"Okay, sit tight both of you. I'll be up in a bit. Do you mind if I bring Mathias with me? He's a little more familiar with Eldritch biology than I am."

"I don't mind if you think it'll help and if you're sure he can keep this confidential." Carlos flips the wizpod around to show Ray Cecil curled up on the couch looking miserable. Cecil waves one hand tiredly looking resigned. 

Ray purses her lips then nods at Carlos. "We'll be up in a few."

The knock on the door springs Carlos to his feet and he opens the door on Ray and the vampire.

Ray comes over and puts her hands on Cecil's abdomen feeling around. Her eyes widen for a moment and she beckons the vampire and Carlos closer. Mathias chuckles low when he puts his hands at the spot where she has her hands. Carlos studies Mathias, "What's funny?"

Ray smiles. "Put your hands where Mathias is."

"It's firm here."

Mathias laughs. "Exactly. What are your symptoms, Cecil?"

"Nausea mostly after eating unless I'm eating plants. Fatigue. Carlos says my blood sugar was low yesterday."

"My best guess right now is to say, congratulations, Carlos, you've knocked up your eldritch boyfriend."

Carlos stares at Mathias with his mouth open. Cecil squeaks in surprise and then asks, "What does this mean for me?"

Ray smiles. "We'll keep an eye on you and your baby might have chronic health issues. I'm going to want to test for Lyme if you carry to term. But for now, just rest. Let Carlos take care of you. I'm going to give you some prenatal vitamins and have Prim make you something because I do think the baby is triggering a Lyme and fibro flare. I'll have one of the boys bring a wheelchair up here for you. Carlos, you can ask GLaDOS to direct you to the nearest wheelchair accessible secret passage, if you guys want to attempt lunch or dinner later. I'll talk to Peeta and Elli about making some adjustments to the menu so that we can manage your delicate digestion right now, Cecil."

Cecil nods. "Okay. Carlos, I want to go back to bed."

Ray smiles. "We'll let ourselves out."

She turns and heads out the door, taking Mathias with her.

Carlos gathers Cecil up into his arms and carries him back into the bedroom and Cecil curls up on his side and Carlos presses a kiss to his temple. "I can't believe... We're going to be parents. Is there anything I should be aware of regarding eldritch pregnancy cycles?"

Cecil sighs. "Probably but I don't have enough brainpower right now to explain it. And it won't be relevant until a few more months. Now I'd really like to try to sleep."

Carlos smiles, "Okay. Rest. I'm going to clean a little and ask Maureen if she can take care of Khoshekh, then I'll come back to cuddle with you. If you need anything, yell."

Cecil nods, closing his eyes. Carlos takes the edge of the fuzzy blanket and tucks it around Cecil, pressing another kiss to his temple before backing out of the room as quietly as possible and picking up the apartment while texting Maureen. Once everything is clean and Maureen confirms, he returns to Cecil, moving the wastebasket to Cecil's side of the bed and climbing into bed, wrapping himself around Cecil.

Later Carlos wakes up to Cecil shaking his shoulder, "What, Cec?"

"Your wizpod's ringing. I think Ray's orders are at the door."

"Oh. I'll be back."

He goes and opens the door to find Prim carrying a tray piled with plants and a bottle of vitamins with her husband leaning on the pine staff that resembles his LARP staff rolling a partially folded wheelchair with his other arm.

"Hi Prim and..."

He trails off with a pointed look at Prim's husband who laughs. "Nico today. You are a refreshing change of pace in that you prompt me for who's fronting."

"In Night Vale, most residents can just tell. I tend to err on asking because I haven't quite gotten there yet. I don't like to assume."

Prim smiles. "I'm glad you guys are getting to know each other better. You and Cecil should come visit us sometime when Cecil's feeling better. Can I borrow your kitchenette to show you how to make this tisane for Cecil?"

Carlos nods following prim into the kitchenette as Nico sits himself on the arm of the couch to watch. He has a knife in his hand when he hears Cecil yell, "Carlos!"

He calls back, "Cec, can I send Nico in to help? I have my hands full with medicine!"

"Okay. Qui-urp."

Nico stands up. "Going. Prim, do you have some ginger I can take him? Also where's the towels, Carlos?"

Prim grins and reaches in her coat pocket and pulls out a flask. "Ginger soda from Jack. Give him that. It'll probably set in quicker."

Carlos smiles, "Towels are in the linen closet in the bedroom closest to the bathroom. Sheets are in there too."

Then he returns to chopping up the raw ginger Prim gave him as Nico unfolds the wheelchair and heads into the bedroom.

Nico's raising his voice for Prim and Carlos's benefit. "Come on Cecil, let's get you to the bathroom. It's okay. Carlos knows you don't feel well. He won't be mad if I change the sheets, I promise."

Carlos calls back, "Nico's right, Cec. Nico, give Cecil that soda before you forget."

"Here. This is fresh ginger soda. You can drink this while you sit in here. I'll clean up the bed."

"Nico?"

"What?"

"I need you to get me the bloodstone in the side table drawer."

"Okay. Here you go."

"I'm going to shut the door. Don't open it until I say you can."

"Okay."

Nico remakes the bed then goes and sits on the floor by the bathroom door. He can hear Cecil muttering something in an unfamiliar tongue that the house doesn't seem capable of translating.

Eventually the muttering dies down and Cecil speaks up in English. "Nico, I need some help and don't comment. Please."

"I won't."

He steps into the bathroom and his eyes widen a bit because Cecil's shadow is holding the pale radio host up, but he bites his tongue before speaking up. "What do you need me to do?"

Cecil holds out his hand wrist up and Nico takes a deep breath seeing the rather deep slash. "I... Okay. I'm not my triggers. Vati taught me how to do this."

He goes into the cabinet under the sink and pulls out the army-grade first aid kit Ray insists on providing for all residents. GLaDOS immediately gives him a private whispers message before he even opens it that says Cecil's afraid of needles. "You're probably going to want to lay down and close your eyes. I'm going to message Ray, since she should take a look in a few days to make sure it doesn't get infected. Does Carlos know you do this?"

Cecil nods as his shadow gently lowers him to the carpet as he closes his eyes. "He knows this is a cultural thing, but I kind of made it too deep this time. My depth perception isn't that great today."

Nico nods. "I can tell, but it's okay. Ray has these kits in every residential room." He puts pressure on it to staunch the bloodflow and then stitches the wound together. Then wraps it in a dressing. "It's going to itch when it starts to heal. Try not to scratch out the stitches."

"I'll try not to. Thanks."

"Okay. Now let's get you back in your chair and in bed. Carlos and Prim should be done with your medicine shortly, if they aren't already."

He pushes Cecil's chair back into the bedroom, greeted by Prim and Carlos. Carlos frowns as he helps Nico put him to bed. "What did you do to your wrist, Cec?"

"Bloodstone chant. I misjudged a little."

Nico smiles, "He'll be fine. Don't worry. I messaged Ray to come up and check the dressing in a few days. Do you know how to sanitize equipment?"

Carlos nods. "Yeah, why?"

"The needles and shears from the first aid kit under the sink will need to be properly disinfected before they get put away. I stuck them in the extra glass I found under the sink."

Carlos blinks at Nico. "Thanks. I'll take care of that later in my lab."

Prim smiles, handing him first the vitamins. "Take these." Once he swallows them, she hands him the tisane, "Drink this, too. It'll probably make you feel better. I taught Carlos how to make it if you need more."

Cecil nods taking the teacup from Prim and drinking it.

Then he says quietly, "Thanks both of you. I need to talk to Carlos in private now."

Carlos waits until he hears the door shut then sits down on the edge of the bed.

"So?"

"As this gets further along I'm going to get less capable at keeping a humanoid manifestation. Things might get a little weird. I used the bloodstone chant to start the process. My shadow's going to help out for the first few weeks. I want to desensitized you to the potential for weirdness."

Carlos glances at Cecil's shadow and it waves at him. He laughs. "Well that's a scientifically fascinating difference. How is it supposed to help?"

"Balance mostly. Same thing it'll be doing later on."


End file.
